Joseph — Verse 60

Yusuf's Brothers travel to Egypt As-Suddi, Muhammad bin Ishaq and several others said that the reason why Yusuf's brothers went to Egypt, is that after Yusuf became minister of Egypt and the seven years of abundance passed, then came the seven years of drought that struck all areas of Egypt. The drought also reached the area of Kana`an (Canaan), where Prophet Ya`qub, peace be upon him, and his children resided. Prophet Yusuf efficiently guarded the people's harvest and collected it, and what he collected became a great fortune for the people. This also permitted Yusuf to give gifts to the people who sought his aid from various areas who came to buy food and provisions for their families. Yusuf would not give a family man more than whatever a camel could carry, as annual provisions for them. Yusuf himself did not fill his stomach from this food, nor did the king and his aids eat except one meal a day. By doing so, the people could sustain themselves with what they had for the remainder of the seven years. Indeed, Yusuf was a mercy from Allah sent to the people of Egypt. Yusuf's brothers were among those who came to Egypt to buy food supplies, by the order of their father. They knew that the `Aziz of Egypt was selling food to people who need it for a low price, so they took some merchandise from their land with them to exchange it for food. They were ten, because Ya`qub peace be upon him kept his son and Yusuf's brother Binyamin with him. Binyamin was the dearest of his sons to him after Yusuf. When Prophet Yusuf's brothers entered on him in his court and the center of his authority, he knew them the minute he saw them. However, they did not recognize him because they got rid of him when he was still young, and sold him to a caravan of travelers while unaware of their destination. They could not have imagined that Yusuf would end up being a minister, and this is why they did not recognize him, while he did recognize them. As-Suddi said that Yusuf started talking to his brothers and asked them, "What brought you to my land" They said, "O, `Aziz, we came to buy provisions." He asked them, "You might be spies." They said, "Allah forbids." He asked them, "Where are you from" They said, "From the area of Kana`an, and our father is Allah's Prophet Ya`qub." He asked them, "Does he have other children besides you" They said, "Yes, we were twelve brothers. Our youngest died in the desert, and he used to be the dearest to his father. His full brother is alive and his father kept him, so that his closeness compensates him for losing our youngest brother who died." Yusuf ordered that his brothers be honored and allowed to remain, وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ (And when he furnished them with their provisions,) according to their needs and gave them what they wanted to buy, he said to them, "Bring me your brother from your father's side whom you mentioned, so that I know that you have told me the truth." He continued, أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ أَنِّى أُوفِى الْكَيْلَ وَأَنَاْ خَيْرُ الْمُنْزِلِينَ (See you not that I give full measure, and that I am the best of the hosts) encouraging them to return to him. He then threatened them, فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِ فَلاَ كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى (But if you bring him not to me, there shall be no measure (of corn) for you with me. ) He threatened them that if the next time they come without Binyamin with them, they will not be allowed to buy the food that they need, فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِ فَلاَ كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى وَلاَ تَقْرَبُونِ - قَالُواْ سَنُرَوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَـعِلُونَ ("...nor shall you come near me." They said: "We shall try to get permission (for him) from his father, and verily, we shall do it.") They said, `We will try our best to bring him with us, so that we spare no effort to prove to you that we are truthful in what we told you about ourselves.' Allah said, وَقَالَ لِفِتْيَانِهِ (And Yusuf told his servants), or his slaves, اجْعَلُواْ بِضَـعَتَهُمْ (to put their money), or the merchandise they brought with them to exchange for food, فِى رِحَالِهِمْ (into their bags,), while they were unaware, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (in order that they might come again.) It was said that Yusuf did this because he feared that his brothers might not have any more merchandise they could bring with them to exchange for food.

But if you do not bring him to me there will be no measure that is no provisions for you with me; and do not come near me’ wa-lā taqrabūn is either a prohibition or a supplement to the syntactical locus of fa-lā kayla in other words ‘and you shall be denied the measure and will not be allowed to come near me’.

He says, But if you do not bring him to me, there will be no measure for you, of universal meanings actualised, with me; and do not come near [me]', since your level is remote from mine, unless by means of him [Benjamin]. But since the practical rational faculty, because it has not departed from the station of pure intellect to the station of the breast, is not able to accompany the sensory faculties and cast [upon them] the particular meanings that cause them to function or to bring about the movement of the yearning longing faculty towards rational best interests:

He says, But if you do not bring him to me, there will be no measure for you, of universal meanings actualised, with me; and do not come near [me]', since your level is remote from mine, unless by means of him [Benjamin]. But since the practical rational faculty, because it has not departed from the station of pure intellect to the station of the breast, is not able to accompany the sensory faculties and cast [upon them] the particular meanings that cause them to function or to bring about the movement of the yearning longing faculty towards rational best interests:

فإن لم تأتوني به فليس لكم عندي طعام أكيله لكم، ولا تأتوا إليَّ.

فقال " فإن لم تأتوني به فلا كيل لكم عندي " الآية أي إن لم تقدموا به معكم في المرة الثانية فليس لكم عندي ميرة " ولا تقربون قالوا سنراود عنه أباه وإنا لفاعلون " أي سنحرص على مجيئه إليك بكيل ممكن ولا نبقي مجهودا لتعلم صدقنا فيما قلناه السدي أنه أخذ منهم رهائن حتى يقدموا به معهم وفي هذا نظر لأنه أحسن إليهم ورغبهم كثيرا وهذا على رجوعهم.

ثم أتبع هذا الترغيب والترهيب فقال : ( فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلاَ كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِي وَلاَ تَقْرَبُونِ ) .أى : لقد رأيتم منى كل خير فى لقائكم معى هذا ، وقد طلبت منكم أن تصحبوا معكم أخاكم من أبيكم فى لقائكم القادم معى ، فإن لم تأتونى به معكم عند عودتكم إلى ، فإنى لن أبيعكم شيئاً مما تريدونه من الأطعمة وغيرها ، وفضلاً عن ذلك فإنى أحذركم من أن تقربوا بلادى فضلاً عن دخولها .هذا التحذير منه - عليه السلام - لهم ، يشعر بأن إخوته قد ذكروا له بأنهم سيعودون إليه مرة أخرى ، لأن ما معهم من طعام لا يكفيهم إلا لوقت محدود من الزمان .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : فَإِنْ لَمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي وَلا تَقْرَبُونِ (60)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره مخبرًا عن قيل يوسف لإخوته: (فإن لم تأتوني به) ، بأخيكم من أبيكم ، (فلا كيل لكم عندي) ، يقول: فليس لكم عندي طعام أكيله لكم ، (ولا تقربون) ، يقول: ولا تقربوا بلادي .وقوله: (ولا تقربون) ، في موضع جزم بالنهي , و " النون " في موضع نصب , وكسرت لما حذفت ياؤها , والكلام: ولا تقربُوني .

( فإن لم تأتوني به فلا كيل لكم عندي ) أي : ليس لكم عندي طعام أكيله لكم ( ولا تقربون ) أي : لا تقربوا داري [ وبلادي ] بعد ذلك وهو جزم على النهي .

معنى { فلا كيل لكم عندي } أي لا يكال لكم ، كناية عن منعهم من ابتياع الطعام .{ ولا تقربون } أي لا تعودوا إلى مصر ، وقد علم أنهم لا يتركون أخاهم رهينة .

ثم رهبهم بعدم الإتيان به، فقال: { فَإِنْ لَمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ } وذلك لعلمه باضطرارهم إلى الإتيان إليه، وأن ذلك يحملهم على الإتيان به.

قوله تعالى : فإن لم تأتوني به فلا كيل لكم عندي أي فلا أبيعكم شيئا فيما بعد ، لأنه قد وفاهم كيلهم في هذه الحال . ولا تقربون أي لا أنزلكم عندي منزلة القريب ، ولم يرد أنهم يبعدون منه ولا يعودون إليه ; لأنه على العود حثهم . قال السدي : وطلب منهم رهينة حتى [ ص: 194 ] يرجعوا ; فارتهن شمعون عنده ; قال الكلبي : إنما اختار شمعون منهم لأنه كان يوم الجب أجملهم قولا ، وأحسنهم رأيا . و " تقربون " في موضع جزم بالنهي ، فلذلك حذفت منه النون وحذفت الياء ; لأنه رأس آية ; ولو كان خبرا لكان تقربون بفتح النون .

There were bumper crops during the first seven years of Joseph’s power. He had big granaries constructed throughout the whole country in which he stored surplus corn bought from the farmers every year. Thereafter when the years of famine commenced, he arranged to have this corn stored in the capital and started selling it at a fair price. This famine prevailed not only in Egypt but also in the surrounding areas, that is, in Syria, Palestine. Transjordan, etc. When the news spread far and wide that corn was being sold at a fair price in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers also came to Egypt to purchase corn. Although they were seeing Joseph after twenty years, they saw a resemblance to their brother in him. But immediately this thought vanished from their minds, because they could not understand how someone whom they had pushed into a dry well could assume the highest office of Egypt. Joseph arranged one camel-load of corn per head for his brothers. Now they wanted to have one more camel-load of corn in Benjamin’s name too. They said that one of their brothers had been detained by their old father to be with him, therefore they said that it would be very kind of him if Benjamin’s share could also be given to them. Joseph said that it was against his principles to hand over the share of an absentee. He also said that when they came again, they should bring their brother with them and then only could they have his share. Joseph added, ‘You have experienced my generosity. Even after this, are you reluctant to bring your brother with you? If you are unable to bring this brother the next time, it will be presumed that you were telling a lie and only wanted to get one more camel-load of corn by deceit. The punishment for this will be that in future you will be deprived of even your own share of corn.’

And, along with it, he gave them a warning as well: فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِي وَلَا تَقْرَ‌بُونِ Still, if you do not bring him to me, then you deserve no measure from me [ because it will prove that you have lied to me, and thus ], nor shall you come even close to me. - 60 Then, he made a secret arrangement as well. He ordered his young workers on the job to collect the cash, jewelry and any other articles paid by his brothers as the cost of the grains, and tie it up secretly with their supplies in the camel-packs in a way that they should remain unaware of it while there - so that, when they open their packs after having arrived home, and find their cash and jewelry back in their hands, they may have a reason to return for grains once again.

(And if ye bring him not unto me) your half brother from your father's side, (then there shall be no measure for you with me) in the future, (nor shall ye draw near) again.